Hanoi, April 15, 2025 — The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính warmly welcomed the state visit of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping to Vietnam, describing it as the most significant high-level engagement between the two nations in 2025.
During their meeting, PM Chính expressed deep appreciation for President Xi’s continued commitment to Vietnam–China relations, marking his fourth official visit to the country as China’s top leader. He emphasized the historic nature of this visit, highlighting its potential to provide strategic direction and fresh impetus to strengthen bilateral ties across all levels.
Congratulating China on achieving its first centenary development goal, PM Chính lauded the nation’s rapid recovery in the post-pandemic period, its contributions to global economic growth, and its notable technological breakthroughs. He voiced confidence that the Chinese Party, State, and people would successfully realise their second centenary goal.
Discussing Vietnam’s own development journey, the Prime Minister reiterated the government’s focus on three strategic breakthroughs—namely in science and technology, institutional reform, and infrastructure—and the implementation of the “strategic quartet” approach. This approach promotes an independent, self-reliant, and globally integrated economy, supported by an efficient administrative system and a vibrant private sector.
PM Chính affirmed that Vietnam views the development of relations with China as an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top foreign policy priority. He underscored Vietnam’s determination to build a Vietnam–China community with a shared future of strategic significance. In this spirit, he proposed enhancing political trust, institutionalizing regular exchanges between top leaders, and deepening cooperation in national defence and security.
The Prime Minister advocated for the advancement of practical cooperation, particularly in railway development. He proposed prioritizing credit arrangements, technology transfers, and workforce training to accelerate key projects. Notably, he called for the early signing of an ODA loan agreement to initiate construction of the Lào Cai–Hà Nội–Hải Phòng railway in 2025, alongside progressing other vital routes including Đồng Đăng–Hà Nội and Móng Cái–Hạ Long–Hải Phòng.
Emphasizing balanced and sustainable trade growth, PM Chính urged China to expand market access for Vietnamese agricultural products and other goods. He also called for enhanced cooperation in science and technology, digital transformation, education, tourism, aviation, and healthcare, with an emphasis on launching large-scale, high-impact projects and expanding environmental and financial collaboration.
The Vietnamese leader further proposed that both sides continue building a peaceful, cooperative, and development-oriented borderline, while maintaining peace and stability at sea. He stressed the importance of managing differences in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect, in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
President Xi Jinping, in turn, expressed his pleasure in choosing Vietnam as the first destination of his overseas visits in 2025, underscoring the high regard China places on its relations with Việt Nam. He congratulated the country on its notable achievements in socio-economic development, particularly its stable and high economic growth, and wished success for the upcoming 14th National Party Congress.
President Xi reaffirmed that China considers Vietnam a diplomatic priority and remains committed to promoting friendly relations between the two nations. He reiterated China’s strong support for Việt Nam’s socialist development path tailored to national conditions, and expressed readiness to jointly build a shared future based on six major orientations to contribute to global progress.
He highlighted the fruitful outcomes of his talks with Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, during which more than 40 cooperation agreements were signed, covering a wide array of sectors. Xi praised Prime Minister Chính’s efforts in enhancing bilateral cooperation and supported the Vietnamese leader’s proposals for greater collaboration in party-to-party and government channels, and among key ministries including Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Public Security.
President Xi emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities in science and technology and capitalizing on geographical proximity to deepen economic ties, particularly in railway development. He expressed willingness to expand imports of Vietnamese agricultural products and encourage high-quality Chinese investments in Vietnam.
Looking ahead, he suggested both sides work closely to implement projects under the framework of the 2025 Year of China–Vietnam Humanistic Exchange, launch new tourism routes, and intensify cooperation in education and healthcare for the benefit of both peoples.
Finally, President Xi called on relevant ministries and sectors to effectively implement joint projects, properly manage differences based on high-level consensus, and promote maritime cooperation to jointly maintain peace and stability in the region and beyond.
